Car roof



L L mm w E Q.

CAR RODF Filed March .mnlllulr Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STAESPATENT OFFICE CAR noor Application March 3, 1933, Serial No. 659,492

Claims.

The invention relates to al1-metal car roofs. The principal object ofthe invention is to devise a strong and economical roof that may be madeof relatively light roof sheets. The invention 5 consists principally inthe use of metal strips welded to said sheets where their own strengthalone would be insuici-ent to satisfactorily take care of the stressesthat would be imposed thereon in practice.

j@ It also consists in the parts, arrangements and combinations of partshereinafter described and claimed,

In the accompanying drawing wherein reference numerals refer to likeparts wherever they 35 occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a portion of a car' roof embodying myinvention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3-3 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form ofthe invention.

The construction illustrated in Figs. l to 3 is a roof of the so-calledneutral axis type wherein the roof sheets extend from side plate I toside plate I and comprise panels 2 at an upper level alternating withpanels 3 at a lower level with substantially vertical webportions 4connecting them so that the roof as a Whole functions as a beamsupported on the side plates.

In the construction illustrated in Figs, 1 to 3, each sheet has anupstanding flange 5 along its lower margin and a depending flange alongits upper margin. These marginal flanges are of a width somewhat lessthan half the depth of the medial web 4, whereby a space or gap is leftbetween the depending flange 6 of one sheet and the upstanding flange 5of the next adjacent sheet with the flanges in substantial verticalalinement. Opposite said gap and preferably inside the roof is areinforcing member 1 to which the edges of adjacent sheets are welded,as at 8, preferab-ly by means of an electric welding rod, whose materialfills the gap between the edges of the sheets and thereby secures thesheets together as well as to the reinforcing member. Preferably theweld 8 has considerable width and its material is of greater tensilestrength than the metal of the sheets.

In some cases it may be desirable to reinforce the medial web 4 of theroof sheet; in which case, a reinforcing strip la of any suitable designmay be welded flatwise against the web 4a, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Theconstruction hereinbefore (Cl. 10S- 5.4)

described is adapted to be assembled into a unitary roof and applied assuch to the car frame. In assembling such roof, specially prepared jigsare used and the reinforcing strips themselves function after the mannerof jigs, as above 5 stated.

The shape of the reinforcing strip admits of considerable variationconformable to its particular functions. Thus, it may be a relativelyiiat narow strip 1b arranged in a substantially ver- 10 tical plane asillustrated in Fig. 4, in which case the strip not only strengthens thestructure by the additional metal which it contributes but facilitatesthe assembling operation by furnishing a backing for the flanges of thesheets during 15 the Welding operation. It is preferable, however, tomake the reinforcing strip in the form of a z, as illustrated in Fig. 3,with the top panel 2 resting on the upper flange 9 of the Z with its owndepending flange 6 arranged flatwise against 20 the vertical body of theZ, and with the margin of the lower panel 3 resting on the lower flangelil of the Z with its own upstanding flange 5 disposed iiatwise againstthe vertical body of the Z.

In this Z-shaped design of reinforcing strip the 25 upper and lowerflanges 9 and l0 contribute considerable metal in the tension andcompression regions of the roof and greatly facilitate the operation ofwelding by functioning as jigs for the sheets during the operation ofthe welding. 30

In the construction illustrated in Figs 3 and 4, the reinforcing memberis wholly inside the roof covering so that the weld is exposed; but asthe metal is continuous, there is no danger of water leakingtherethrough. 35

The construction described above permits the use of thin sheets, asgreat latitude is afforded in the design of reinforcing strips that areembodied in the construction in the course of assembly. Besides, as theweld material may easily 40 be made to lill in the entire gap betweenthe edges of adjacent sheets, no matter how wide such gap may be, widertolerances are permissible in the width of the flanges than would berequisite if the sheets had to be matched carefully. 45

It is noted as an advantage of welding, in comparison with riveting,that welding saves at least as much metal as the lap required forriveting; and the joint is a tighter joint. It is also noted in theconstructions illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, a 50 single weld is requiredto join together the two sheets and reinforcing strip..

In the foregoing description, I have referred to welding as a means ofsecuring sheets in place.

In addition to this function of fastening o-f the 55 g upper panel, alower panel and a web integrally connecting said panels, a. reinforcingmember for each web, and welds uniting each reinforcing member to itsweb.

2. A car roof consisting of roof sheets adapted, arranged and securedtogether to form panels in an upper elevation alternating with panels ina lower elevation, a reinforcing strip for each integral web and weldsof added metal along the upper and lower edges of said strip uniting thesame to said web.

3. A car roof comprising an upper plane sheet with a depending flange, alower plane sheet with an upstanding flange, the two flanges being inline but spaced apart vertically, a reinforcing member in Contactflatwise with the two anges and spanning the space therebetween, and aweld of added metal lling said space and uniting said flanges togetherand to said reinforcing member.

4. A car roof of the type wherein the roof sheets extend from side plateto side plate and comprise panels at an upper level alternating withpanels at a lower level with substantially vertical web portionsconnecting them so that the roof as a whole functions as a beamsupported on the side plates, said roof consisting of roof sheets withflanges along their side margins arranged in flush alinement and withthe edges of the flanges of adjacent sheets spaced apart, reinforcingstrips spanning said spaces with their side margins underlapping themargins of said roof sheets, and continuous welds of added metalsecuring the flanges to the reinforcing strips, the metal of said weldsaffording substantial reinforcement.

5. A car roof of the type wherein the roof sheets extend from side plateto side plate and comprise panels at an upper level alternating withpanels at a lower level with substantially vertical web portionsconnecting them so that the roof as a whole functions as a beamsupported on the side plates, said roof consisting of roof sheetsarranged with their adjacent margins in flush alinement and with theedges of adjacent sheets spaced apart, reinforcing strips bridging suchspaces and continuous welds of added metal of superior strength securingthe spaced edges of adjacent sheets to each other and to the reinforcingstrips, the metal of said welds affording substantial reinforcement.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL.

